Legend's End
by SurferSquid
Summary: For countless ages, the three holders of the Triforce have been locked in a cyclical struggle, an eternal rebirth of enmity between darkness and light. Now the latest incarnation of Link is an arrogant oaf and the latest incarnation of Zelda despairs for both the future of Hyrule and her own future. Will she be able to change their fates, both now and through eternity?
1. Chapter 1

_They say legends never die._

 _In Hyrule, this is a literal fact._

 _But what of legends that perhaps never should have begun in the first place?_

 _What of those trapped in a cycle of hatred, of violence, of opposition?_

 _Is there no hope for them?_

* * *

The legends were old. All things were old in this ancient world. It spanned a history so vast that too many things had been lost to the relentless march of time. Long ages prospered, faded, and new ones took up the mantle of prosperity while forgetting what caused their forebears to fade.

Perhaps, thought Princess Zelda of Hyrule, if those things had been remembered, the world would be different today.

But would her life be any different? She sat at the window, watching the knights in the courtyard go through their practice drills. There had always been a Hyrule, and Hyrule always had knights. In the history texts there were vague echoes of eras with technologies far in advance of what they had at present, and some so primitive that Hylians had been little more but hunter-gatherers.

And yet Hyrule and its knights persisted. They were the current running through a world history so deep that Zelda had never gotten to the bottom of it. She read extensively, but even the castle libraries did not contain enough to sate the young woman's knowledge. There were far too many gaps, and past a certain age, records petered out, simply too old to persist to the present day.

What she knew was this: once upon a time, unfathomable eons ago, her ancestor - for whom she was named - and a hero named Link defeated an evil sorcerer named Ganondorf and sealed him away in the Sacred Realm.

But that was not the end—no, it was merely the beginning for all the Zeldas and Links ever since. Time and time again the histories told of Ganondorf's release or resurrection, and how a Zelda and a Link would inevitably band together to stop him once more.

But Ganondorf returned. He always returned.

Zela rested her cheek in her hand. The knights' swords glittered in the morning sun. Her ancestors must, each of them, have hoped their time was the last, she thought.

To have seen and overcome such a great darkness, each Zelda and Link before her surely clung to the faith that this time, Ganondorf was banished or slain or sealed for good. Many of them seemed to have lived out their entire lives in peace after their harrowing ordeals—only to have their dreams dashed generations after their deaths.

It was a cycle, Zelda realized. An inescapable cycle.

And now she was next in line, and all she could do was pray that this time around, things would somehow be different.

Especially because her Link was an insufferable boor.

That was him down there, disarming one of his fellow knights, laughing as he shoved the poor man into the dirt and placed a firm boot on the loser's tunic.

The other knight slapped the dirt with his palm to tell Link to stand down, but Link merely sneered. His grating tone came wafting through the open window pane, souring the spring breeze. "Did you really hope to best me with your childish tactics? Do you know who you are dealing with?"

"An arrogant Cucco who thinks he rules the roost," the other knight grumbled. "Get off, Link!"

"That's _Sir_ Link to you, peon!" Link pressed harder with his heel. "The Hero of Hyrule, son of a thousand heroes of ages past! Last I checked, your father was a lowly duke!"

Zelda groaned. "Link! That's enough!"

Link looked up at her and smiled. It was not a kind smile. It was the smile of someone who feels entitled to everything they decide they want. "Your Highness! I trust you saw my masterful performance just now!"

"I saw you bullying your brothers-in-arms," Zelda shot back. "Don't let it happen again. They have every right to be here."

Link frowned. "But they are not _heroes_." Stepping away and leaving his opponent to be helped to his feet by another knight, the Hero of Hyrule bowed deeply. "Milady, I am simply honing my prowess as your protector and champion. Our fair kingdom offers so little in the way of true tests of my might. One must do what one is forced to in order to keep fighting fit."

"Which explains why you go off hunting beasts in the woods and performing reckless stunts," Zelda said, "instead of overseeing the peace and safety of our subjects. As I have repeatedly asked you to." And she couldn't do a blasted thing about it, because despite his attitude problems, the entire court would be in an uproar if Zelda discharged the Hero of Hyrule. He had to stay—it was tradition.

Some traditions were incredibly unhelpful.

"Please, Your Highness." Link waved his hand dismissively. "I am simply doing what the people expect their hero to accomplish. Your days cooped up in that castle have left you naïve, and while it is endearing, I assure you that once we ascend the throne together, I shall handle all of the kingdom's administrative business and you can… embroider tapestries or something."

At this Zelda had to shut the window and turn away because she felt rather ill. Which was nothing new—Link sickened her on a regular basis. She tried to stay as far away from him as possible. Fortunately, her paperwork usually provided a good excuse.

But his remark at the end was what really got to her. For a moment she simply sat with her back to the window and buried her face in her hands.

She was lonely.

Her parents passed away when she was a teenager, from an illness that swept through the kingdom and unfortunately also killed Link's parents—probably the only people capable of keeping him in line. He'd worsened ever since. And just a few short years ago, Zelda's beloved nursemaid, Impa, had succumbed to age.

Now Zelda was left to run the kingdom alone, and as she continued through young adulthood, the pressure mounted for her for marry and become queen. Of course, Link was the popular choice for her king consort. Despite his deplorable conduct, tales of his bravado reached even the smallest villages, filling the kingdom with adoration for a man who already adored himself more than enough.

No amount of altered history could change her situation, Zelda thought. No matter how many times Ganondorf came back or Link wielded the Master Sword in defense of Hyrule, there would still, at this moment in time, be a Princess Zelda feeling very disappointed with life.

After a moment of reflecting on her situation, she pushed herself to her feet and thought she might as well get started on the day's bureaucracy. It at least gave her a sense of purpose.

Out of the clear blue sky, an explosion of thunder clapped, and a tremor rocked the castle. Zelda clung to the wall to keep her footing. "What was that?!" she yelled.

"I'm not sure, milady!" someone shouted from down the hall. Moments later a handmaid rushed in. "Your Highness, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Zelda said, straightening her skirt. "Go check on everyone else—I'll be right—" She was cut off by another rumbling, as if the entire world was breaking apart. "Go!"

The room began to dim. Zelda looked out the window to see dark, malevolent clouds twisting over the sky, and the back of her neck pricked. This was no ordinary storm. She pushed the window open. "All knights, prepare to defend the town!" she shouted, trying to keep down the fear in her voice. "Protect the citizens!"

Link raised his sword. "Your Highness! I shall defend you!"

"No—stay with the company, there's already a unit devoted to—!"

"Heroes were born for such times as these!" With a yell, Link broke away from the other knights and charged toward the castle.

Zelda decided that other matters took priority over his idiocy. The sky was growing darker by the second, and eerie flashes of purple lightning flickered across black clouds. She turned and ran from the room.

In the hall, one of the castle knights met her. "Milady!" he panted. "Scouts have reported an army advancing on Hyrule Castle!"

Zelda's stomach clenched. "Collateral damage?"

"Minimal. They seem to be directly targeting the castle and are ignoring other settlements in their path."

The princess nodded. "Shore up defenses, mobilize all troops! Cut them off!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The guard saluted and jogged down the hall, his armor clanking.

Zelda followed him in a daze. She couldn't believe this was really happening. She'd been taught what to do in the event of a siege, but it was one of those things one never actually thinks about until it happens.

She did not feel at all ready. Her physical combat skills were limited. Impa had begun Zelda's magic tutelage, but after the death of the king and queen, Zelda turned her focus to running the kingdom and began to neglect her magical studies. Her nursemaid's passing left the princess feeling barely a beginner in the magical arts, and she did not really have the heart to pick up the subject again after that.

Now she wished she had.

"How much time do we have?" she asked as she burst into the throne room.

"It's hard to tell," said a military tactician clutching an armful of maps. The castle shuddered again and the woman readjusted the maps in her arms. "The army was reported as being twenty miles away, but it's moving… unnaturally quickly. They could be here by nightfall."

Zelda swallowed hard.

"Your Highness!" Link strode toward her, shoulders thrown back. "Fear not, for I shall protect you!" He grinned. "Ah, our celebration after my victory today will be glorious indeed!"

"I told you to stay outside," Zelda hissed. "Do you care at all for the safety of my subjects?"

A knight ran into the throne room, doubling over and clutching his knees as his chest heaved. "Something's breached the town gates! It's—heading straight for the castle!"

"Bar the doors!" Zelda said. Numbly, she reached for her father's throne, clutching an armrest, too tense to sit down.

An explosion echoed through the stone halls and Zelda knew she had given the order too late. The unmistakable unease of dark magic seeped through the area and Zelda was forced by her own limp knees to sink into the throne. _No. No, this can't be happening now. I thought this time would be different._

But it was never different, was it?

Heavy hoofbeats thudded in Zelda's ears, accompanied by shouts and screams of terror, drawing nearer and nearer. She shrank against the back of the throne and Link stepped in front of her, raising his sword and shield. For a split second Zelda felt as though he was actually trying to be chivalrous. But from his proud stance she could see that he saw this as just another opportunity to gain more bragging rights.

The doors to the throne room burst open, sending knights flying, and in stomped a massive porcine beast. The red mane along its back rippled like fire, and its yellow eyes burned with a fierce malevolence. An aura of dark magic shrouded the creature, making it almost painful to look at. Even Link seemed to falter for a moment, but kept up a brave front—or perhaps just a foolhardy one.

Zelda was sure she looked pale as paper, but she kept a straight face, staring the monster in the eyes, almost daring it to come closer. She would not show it weakness. Not when she had so many people to protect.

The beast halted in front of the throne, opening its jaw and letting out a hot breath. Then it bowed its head and its muscles twitched and shuddered. Dark magic wreathed its form, twisting and churning while everyone in the room watched, unsure what to do.

When the umbral cloud dissipated, in the stead of a monster stood a man, tall and powerfully built, wearing black leather armor and the tribal emblems of some long-disappeared people. His hair and beard were the same fiery red as the beast's mane, and his swarthy skin was offset by his gleaming amber eyes.

"So," he breathed, tilting his head as he looked down at Link and Zelda, "we meet again, heroes."

Ganondorf had returned.


	2. Chapter 2

To Zelda's chagrin, Link laughed. "Do you think your paltry magic tricks will scare us, unholy fiend? I have waited my whole life for this day!" With a shout, he charged Ganondorf, sword raised for a strike.

The sorcerer smirked and held out his hand. Dark magic coalesced around Link, binding him and jerking him into the air. "Pathetic," the King of Darkness rumbled.

"Unhand me!" Link yelled. "I demand a fair fight!"

Ganondorf's grin grew. "Funny, I don't remember agreeing to those terms. Begone!" He swept his arm, and Link was thrown across the room.

Zelda clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream, but just as Link looked like he was going to hit the wall, in a flash of magic he disappeared. "What did you do to him?" she asked, pushing herself shakily to her feet. While Link was not her favorite person, she was far from wishing him dead at the hands of a mad overlord.

Ganondorf shook his head. "I banished him from the castle. Permanently, if the spell holds." His smile faded. "You thought I killed him? You'd have to raise my ire more than that in order to earn that honor. Although his voice alone is enough to give me a migraine."

Somewhat against her wishes, Zelda smiled. She knew she really shouldn't, but somehow it comforted her to know that someone else disliked Link as much as she did—and Ganondorf had only known the man for ten seconds.

The moment passed briefly, though, for far more important matters were at hand. She cleared her throat. "Why have you come?"

"To claim this kingdom. By force, if I must." Ganondorf glanced over at the cowering knights and attendants. "I am sure by now you have received word of my army. If I so command, they will overrun this land, burning and pillaging—"

"What if I give the kingdom to you?" The words left Zelda's mouth nearly as soon as she thought of them. Her subjects looked at her incredulously, but she kept her gaze on their attacker.

Ganondorf narrowed his eyes. "You would offer Hyrule to me freely?"

"Yes—" Zelda began shakily, then forced herself into a more authoritative tone. "Yes. If you do not harm my people… we will make no attempt to resist your rule. You have my word."

The dark king stood in silence. "Some would term this an act of cowardice," he said in a quiet voice, albeit one brooding with power. "There are codes of honor that state it is nobler to die defending your right to rule, than to bargain with your conqueror."

Zelda nodded. "But I do not deem it honorable to allow one's people to be slaughtered in a vain war. You caught us unprepared, I know the military state of my kingdom, and I know we do not have what it takes to withstand an attack of this magnitude. I will take the path of mercy."

"You are wise, for one so young," Ganondorf said. "Many before you have eschewed such wisdom. Not all—but many."

Zelda's eyes fell and she glanced at the back of her hand. There, glowing faintly, was the Triforce of Wisdom. "I hope I am wise," she murmured.

Ganondorf took a step toward her and extended his hand. "So, we are agreed? You surrender the throne to me, and I ensure your people remain unharmed?"

The princess looked up at him. Here she was, caught up in the endless cycle just because she happened to be born a Zelda. In her head, she replayed the events of the past few minutes, over and over. Should she have done something differently? Was it really supposed to turn out this way? Had Ganondorf won?

But something about trying to oppose him just left a sick feeling in her stomach. And she knew she could never forgive herself if any of her subjects were hurt because she chose pride over mercy. This was the only way that felt right.

Taking a deep breath, she clasped his hand. "Yes. I give you my word."

As they touched, the Triforces on both their hands flashed. Zelda jumped, startled, and even Ganondorf's eyes widened. For a moment they both stood in silence, and Zelda wondered if anything else would happen.

Then Ganondorf pulled away and smiled—a smile that did not quite reach his eyes, but was not necessarily a cruel smile. "Excellent. Now, please stand aside. I have a throne to claim."

As Zelda did so, she met the pleading eyes of her subjects, and could only give them an apologetic look. Surely they realized this was better than going down fighting.

Ganondorf eased himself onto Zelda's father's throne, which seemed comically undersized for a man of the sorcerer's stature. He leaned back on the ornate chair, looking grim and determined, and not altogether as happy as Zelda thought he should. Perhaps the cycle was on his mind as well.

Zelda turned to the others in the room and gestured to him. "I give you… the King of Hyrule." And she bent her knee and bowed before him.

The room filled with a heavy and uncomfortable silence. There were far too many awkward silences today, Zelda decided. Then again, dark lord invasions were not exactly scripted ordeals.

And she wasn't really sure what would happen next. The fear struck her that Ganondorf might not keep his word.

"You may rise," he said, sounding rather tired. "All of you may return to the day's affairs. My officers will be occupying this castle as well, so please prepare any unused quarters." He paused. "I would like a feast tonight, as the march has been rather long. Thank you."

Zelda rose to her feet and stared at him dumbstruck. This was so mundane that it bordered on ludicrous. Finally she ventured to speak. "Shouldn't you be—er—throwing people in dungeons, or flinging hexes, or something like that?"

Ganondorf glanced over at her. "I promised you I would not harm your people. Therefore business shall continue as usual, and my subjects shall integrate themselves with yours. They are hard workers and can be quite ingenious crafters and magicians. They will be a great asset to this kingdom."

"So you took over my kingdom," Zelda said, "in order to rule it _normally?_ "

The king looked at her for a long moment. "I'm sorry if I disappointed you. You would have had more of a show if you hadn't ceded." For just a split second, Zelda thought she saw his eyes crease with something suspiciously close to mirth.

A smile tugged at the corners of her own lips. "The histories never said you had a sense of humor."

Immediately his expression dropped. "History, Princess," he said, "is written by the victors." Letting out a sigh, Ganondorf turned his attention back to the throne room doors, hanging sadly off their hinges. "I'll have to get those fixed," he muttered to himself. "Perhaps a dark teak would look nicer."

He said nothing more as his new subjects filtered out of the room, leaving him and the princess in the vast silence. Zelda wrung her hands, noticed she was wringing them, and thrust them back by her sides, not wanting to look sniveling.

Finally Ganondorf raised a bushy red eyebrow at her. "Well?" He seemed to have a way of speaking that, while rarely having to raise his voice, commanded respect all the same.

The sort-of question caught her off guard. "Well—what am I supposed to do now?" she asked in all honesty. "I'm not exactly in charge of a kingdom anymore."

The statement evoked a small smile from the new king. "What would you like to do? Besides start an insurgence—that's entirely out of the question."

For a moment Zelda just stared at him, trying very hard to dislike him and failing. "I assumed—I guess—I don't know," she admitted. "Are you going to banish me, too?"

Ganondorf shifted in his throne and turned to her. "That depends," he said, looking her in the eyes. "How would you conduct yourself if you were to stay here? Would you secretly plot against me? Would you act disagreeably towards me and my subjects and generally be an unpleasant houseguest?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, but it is a bit of a headache to live with someone who's constantly fainting dramatically and bursting into tears, or mouthing off and getting underfoot. I can't decide which is worse, actually."

"Yes, I would behave myself," Zelda said. "This is my home, and I should very much like to stay in it, thank you. I can even help you with administrative business."

"Would you?" asked Ganondorf. "That would be greatly appreciated, for you know this kingdom much better than I…" He frowned suddenly and turned away, shaking his head. "No—I shouldn't involve you in such things."

Zelda grimaced. "Why not?" she asked, expecting to be told that he was too afraid she would try to undermine him or steal his political clout.

His answer surprised her. "Because you hate me." He did not look at her, but kept his eyes fixed on a point on the far wall.

"I don't hate you." Zelda thought Ganondorf suddenly looked so miserable that she wanted to put a hand on his shoulder and comfort him, but then she thought better of it. "That's silly. I've barely met you—that's not enough time to decide that I hate you." She bit her lip. "Besides, you're—not half as bad as I thought you would be. You're reasonable, and you keep your word… and I like your sense of humor." Part of her thought it was ridiculous to be complimenting her ancestral enemy. But the other part of her just wanted to cheer him up.

Ganondorf's eyes lifted back to her. For a moment he scanned her face, and then he smiled weakly. "I would appreciate your help with administrative duties, yes."

Zelda returned his smile. "Finally, I don't have to go through all that paperwork myself."


	3. Chapter 3

Throughout the next few weeks, Ganondorf was true to his word, as the citizens of Hyrule remained unharmed by the army of monsters and fiends that had begun to settle in their midst. At first Zelda was unnerved to find Ganondorf keeping company with the likes of Moblins, Wizzrobes, and Poes – especially when several of the creatures joined his cabinet – but she soon discovered they were far from the soulless beasts that the history texts described.

Life inside the castle continued much as it had before, except without Link's grating presence, and now Zelda might pass a Darknut marching down the hall on her way to lunch. At times Zelda wondered where Link had ended up, and a nagging feeling in the back of her mind told her to not count him out of the picture just yet. But for now, at least, she could enjoy his absence.

The castle staff and nobility often complained about Ganondorf's occupation, but their life was really no more taxing than it had been before. In some ways, it was easier, as Ganondorf's creatures were eager to help their king in whatever ways he needed them to. They assumed many of the Hyruleans' duties, which meant that the original residents of the castle had much more free time on their hands.

And Zelda found herself feeling a curious sense of relief. The weight of the kingdom no longer fell solely on her shoulders. Ganondorf was an intelligent and pragmatic leader who really only needed her to explain aspects of the nation that he was unfamiliar with, but he regularly asked her for her own input, and attempted to find a compromise if they disagreed on anything.

The two of them working together meant Zelda had much more time to relax, read, and generally do all the things work had supplanted. Her job had absorbed her life in the years since her parents' death, both out of necessity and as a coping mechanism, and now she could see just how much the stress had worn her down. Her mind and body appreciated the opportunity to recuperate.

All of that made it far too difficult to dislike Ganondorf, so Zelda stopped trying. Instead she discovered that she was rather curious about him. At first she tried to satisfy her curiosity by reading the old history books, but all they could tell her was the ways in which hers and Link's ancestors had thwarted the sorcerer. Very little was said about the things she really wanted to know: where he had come from, how he learned his magic, his favorite color.

Well, she knew his favorite color. It was orange. His banner colors were black and orange.

But aside from that, she decided she would have to go straight to the primary source. So she started talking to him outside of cabinet meetings. She took meals with him and his officers, and tried to catch him when he didn't seem busy with anything.

Ganondorf initially seemed reluctant to engage in non-political conversations with her, but he was never hostile, and gradually she chipped away at him enough that he started to open up. At first it was about small things, such as the family behaviors of Dodongos, but slowly he began to act more comfortable around her.

"You said you're from a desert?" she asked one afternoon. They were in the castle library, and Zelda had one arm draped lazily over a couch while Ganondorf sat on the sofa across from her, separated by a table stacked with books—history books.

He nodded, still looking a bit stiff. "A land of eternal sand and sun, where water is a precious resource. Those who live there eke out a harsh existence…" He closed his eyes. "But the desert still holds beauty, if you know where to look. The glory of a sunset, the power of a storm rolling in…"

"Wait…" Zelda reached for a book and thumbed through it. "Nothing in here says anything about a desert. You've been sealed away, or dead, or something, for—for hundreds of years at least." She looked up at him. "Do you really remember that far back?"

His eyes snapped open. Looking almost wounded, he drew back and moved to get up. "It's impolite to pry." Rising to his feet, he turned to leave.

"Wait," Zelda said again. Standing up, she caught his arm. "Why are you avoiding this? I'm not asking anything out of malice—I really want to get to know you better."

Ganondorf looked down at her, almost pityingly, although Zelda could not tell if he was pitying her or himself. Calmly, he reached for her hand and pulled it away from his arm. "Because, Princess, you do not know the full history. You know only what your books can tell you, and books are written by finite minds."

"So tell me the full history," Zelda said, moving to block his path to the exit.

He made no attempt to stop her. "If I do," he said, "you will hate me."

"I won't hate you," Zelda said. "I can't hate you. You're my friend."

A strange sort of emotion came over Ganondorf's face, one Zelda could not quite recognize. It seemed to be a mix of sadness, longing—and even a bit of fear. "I wish I could believe you," he said quietly. "But you have always hated me."

Zelda expected him to leave then, but instead he returned to the table and beckoned for her to follow him. He placed the books aside and swept his hand over the surface of the table. It became black like a bottomless pool, and Zelda stared into it.

"Many ages ago," Ganondorf said, "when Hyrule was young… we were gods." As he spoke, ethereal purple images emerged from the void to stand on the table, where they moved like animated miniatures: a winged woman and a burly male figure with flaming hair. "I was the god Demise, and you were the goddess Hylia."

The images moved and changed to fit his story. "We warred with one another, and with the help of your hero, I was defeated. In my dying breaths I pronounced a curse: that the three of us would be reborn endlessly, me to pursue my ambitions, and you and your hero to rise to stop me."

Zelda's eyes widened. "Is that how the cycle began? I always thought it started when my ancestor and Link's sealed you in the Sacred Realm…"

Ganondorf shook his head. "That was the first chapter—this is the prologue."

"So… hold on…" Zelda watched the ancient ancestor of Link running his blade through Demise, and then lifted her eyes to meet those of the god's modern incarnation. Suddenly she understood, and her jaw dropped. "All of those times in the past… they weren't Link's and my ancestors… they were us in previous lives?"

The sorcerer nodded. "Once your current incarnation dies, you forget everything that happened in that life, and are reborn totally ignorant of your past."

Zelda put a hand over her mouth. She did not expect to learn that she had once been a goddess, and that all of the Zeldas she had read about in her youth were actually her, in pasts she could not remember. "But then… how do you remember all of this? Shouldn't you keep forgetting, too?"

"I was the one who pronounced the curse. In my hatred and wrath, I vowed never to forget the wrongs I felt had been dealt me." Ganondorf flicked his hand over the images and they vanished, leaving solid wood once more. "It seemed like a good idea at the time, but then, all curses do. You two got off luckier in the end."

"Because we forget," Zelda guessed. She never would have guessed the King of Darkness had such a depressing past.

Ganondorf nodded. "All of the pain and sorrow and loss you suffer… when you are reborn, it is all erased. And…" He gripped his chest. "I was only mortally born once. My memories never die. I have to live with my hurt every day of my eternal existence. I remember every time you stood against me and, with your Link, struck me down." Bowing his head, he said, "That is how I know you hate me. It will happen again, as it has happened before. We cannot escape the cycle, Princess."

"I refuse to believe that," Zelda said. "I am not my past incarnations. I'm not obligated to make the same decisions they did. And neither are you. We can change."

"I wonder if you will say the same thing," Ganondorf said quietly, "when Link returns to slay me once more. At whose side will you stand, Princess? That of your kingdom's conqueror—or its liberator?"

Zelda frowned. He looked utterly miserable. "There must be some other way out of this. I don't know all the answers… but I do know that you're my friend now. Regardless of what went on in my past lives." She leaned forward. "Do you like hugs?"

Ganondorf blinked up at her, and color tinged his dark cheeks. He cleared his throat. "I am not really one for hugs—sorry."

"That's okay," Zelda said. "You just look like you need a hug."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but—"

The library doors slammed open. To Zelda's horror, Link charged into the room, wielding a sword with a blue hilt. "I have returned to reclaim my rightful place!" he snarled. His face was twisted with rage, and he stared down Ganondorf with a venomous hatred.

The king regarded him with a look of tired resignation. "You're early," he said.

"How did you get into the castle?" Zelda asked, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"I sought out the Master Sword," Link said, brandishing the weapon, "and its holy powers enabled me to break through the curse that kept me an exile! And now—" He advanced on Ganondorf. "It seeks to taste your blood!"

"Link!" Zelda stood up and moved between the two men. "What's gotten into you?!" Wanting to prove his courage was one thing, but this rage was something beyond mere heroics.

For a response, he shoved her aside. "Stay out of the way," he snarled. "No one banishes me from my own castle like that!"

Ganondorf leaped to his feet, eyes blazing, and put an arm around Zelda's shoulders. "Don't touch her!" he barked. Looking down at her, his expression grew concerned. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, but before she could say anything, an inhuman yell of fury split the air. Link pounced at them, bringing down his blade. "Get away from her, you wretch!"

Ganondorf raised his arm and a shield of dark magic enveloped him and Zelda, and the Master Sword swung harmlessly off of it.

Again and again Link hacked at the shield, but it held, despite the man's crazed frenzy. Finally he staggered back, panting. "I don't… understand…" he seethed, glaring at his blade.

"Then here is something your tiny brain _will_ understand!" Ganondorf roared. He swept out his hand, and the shield became a wave of shadow. It crashed against Link, pushing him against a bookcase and searing the spines of the books around him.

Ganondorf let go of Zelda to stride toward the pinned hero. "I told you you were early," he growled, his fists seething with magic. "Foolish man. Your haste is your weakness. I will ensure this cycle ends differently."

"No!" Zelda ran over and grabbed his arm. "Don't kill him! Please!"

While Ganondorf did not lower the sword, he paused to look down at her. "You are so compassionate, Princess. Do not ever lose that purity of heart." He turned to face Link again, his nostrils flaring. "My journey takes me down darker paths."

"No," Zelda said again, tugging on his arm. "You don't have to do this, Ganondorf. All of your anger and hatred stays with you, doesn't it? It just builds and builds, and hurts worse and worse. If you strike him down while he is defenseless, you'll just be adding to that. You need to change if you ever hope to stop the cycle—and you need to do it now."

The sorcerer blinked as though he was clearing his thoughts. Then, solemnly, he lowered his hands. "Wisdom channels the proper exercise of power…" He looked back at her. "I believe you are correct."

"Hah!" In a flash of light, Link jumped away from the bookshelf, scattering its volumes on the floor. "You thought that evil binding would hold me? Fool! I wield your bane!" He raised the Master Sword again, and Ganondorf sent up another shield. "It should be working!" Link shouted as the blade bounced uselessly off of the dark magic. "The Master Sword cleaves through all shadow!"

"Link, you idiot!" Zelda said. "Did you even bother to power up the sword with the Spiritual Stones from the Desert Colossus?!"

A dangerous smile lit up Link's face, and Zelda was slammed with the crushing realization of what she had just done. She clapped her hands over her mouth and squeezed, as if pressing tighter would somehow reverse what she had said.

Link stepped back. "Why, thank you, Princess, for that valuable information. I shall be going now—to the Desert Colossus!"

"Guards!" Ganondorf bellowed. "Detain him!"

A pair of Moblins rushed into the room, but Link took a glowing green crystal out of his pocket, and disappeared in a swirl of magic.

The two Moblins looked around in confusion, and Ganondorf waved them away. "Never mind…"

Zelda felt sick. "Oh, no…" She stumbled to one of the library windows, biting her knuckle. "No, no… I'm so sorry…" She looked out at the rolling hills and distant mountains of Hyrule, burdened with the thought that out there was a very angry hero on his way to find the artifacts that would help him kill her one friend in the world.

Heavy footfalls told her Ganondorf was approaching. She spun around and put a hand over her face. She couldn't bear to look at him. "I'm sorry! I don't know why that slipped out! I'm not trying to help him, I swear! He was just being such an ignoramus—I couldn't help but blurt out the answer—" Hot tears began to trickle down her palm. How could he ever forgive her?

Before he could respond, she wiped the tears on her skirt and stared up at him, trying to pretend like she hadn't been crying. "We h-have to retrieve the Spiritual Stones before he does! I'll help you! P-please, I'll do anything to make it up to you!"

To her surprise, Ganondorf did not look angry or upset. He merely regarded her with an impassive stare, one she knew meant he was mulling over everything in his mind. Then he smiled. "Oh, Princess. I forgive you. Against all better judgement, I have always forgiven you."

Zelda's heart rose just as quickly as it had fallen. "Because w-we're friends."

"Something like that," he said.

She wiped her tears on her sleeve. "Ah, I'm sorry… you said you didn't want any crybabies in this castle."

Ganondorf reached up and dried her cheeks with his thumb. "I believe my exact words were 'constantly fainting dramatically or bursting into tears'. You did not faint during that duel, which speaks volumes about your constitution. And," he added with a gentle grin, "I feel your tears were warranted in this situation. Although I am sorry you are crying on my account."

Zelda smiled up at him. "I don't think you're a very bad guy."

"Perhaps not," he said. "I was more wrathful and ambitious in my early days, but… long ages have made me weary of being monstrous." He looked away for a moment, and then back to her. "You look like you need a hug."

"I do."

Ganondorf put his arms around her, and she squeezed him back. "Thank you…" she said. After a moment, she looked over at the bookshelf. "Oh…" she tsked, breaking away and walking over to where the tomes lay in disarray. "Some of these were antiques…" Kneeling down, she began to sort through them, frowning in dismay whenever she found one with a burnt spine.

Going over to join her, Ganondorf said, "My apologies, Princess. For the record, I owe you some new books." He helped her stack and sort them, and then began the task of putting them back on the shelves.

"You had better!" Zelda said in mock anger. "Keep better control of your dark magic next time, would you? These books were innocent bystanders!"

"Really?" Ganondorf examined one with a look of surprise. "Could have fooled me. Have you ever been hit in the head with a volume this thick? Not very innocent then, are they?"

Neither of them could keep a straight face for long.

"I should get going," Ganondorf said once they stopped laughing. "My magic is vastly more powerful than Link's, and I am sure I can summon the power to teleport all the way to the Desert Colossus."

He stepped back and waved a hand, gathering the energy that constantly hummed around him. Dark clouds coalesced around the sorcerer and he began to blur and waver like an illusion.

Then the magic snapped and he solidified again. Eyes wide like he had been struck, Ganondorf staggered and leaned against the bookshelf. "That's not good," he breathed.

Zelda grabbed his shoulder to support him. "What's wrong?"

Ganondorf swallowed hard. "How much do you know about teleportation?"

"It's an advanced technique… Impa never got around to teaching me because she wanted to make sure I had more basic things down first." Zelda rubbed her chin. "Of course, if you had a magical item imbued with the spell, like Link apparently does, you could teleport without knowing exactly how."

With a sigh, Ganondorf nodded and stood up straighter. "Teleportation only works with places you're familiar with. It has to do with energy imprints in the fabric of the universe. But it seems long ages have a way of severing those connections…" He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again he smiled down at the princess. "So it seems I'll just have to go the old-fashioned way. I trust you'll keep an eye on the kingdom for me while I'm gone."

"I'm coming with you," Zelda said.

"You don't have to," Ganondorf said. "I am familiar with the Colossus from the earliest days of my mortal existence. You would be far more comfortable in the castle."

"I know," Zelda said. "But I've always wanted to get out and see Hyrule, and I might as well take the opportunity. And the land has probably changed since you were last around—I don't want you to have to waste time searching for the Colossus when I know right where it is."

She moved to a shelf of maps and started pulling them off the rack, unrolling them until she found the one they needed. She held it up to Ganondorf. "Here is what Hyrule looks like right now."

Ganondorf's eyes scanned the parchment. "This terrain is unfamiliar to me," he admitted. "The general layout has stayed somewhat similar, but… long ages can change many details. Not the first time I have experienced this, either. It's always rather disorienting."

"There's the Desert Colossus." Zelda pointed to the farthest northwestern region on the chart. "The region around it has been uninhabited for over a thousand years. But it is said that is where the oldest secrets of Hyrule lie. And that is where my ancestors deposited the Spiritual Stones for safe keeping, after you were first sealed away—well, no, I guess that was the second or third time—"

"I don't really keep count anymore," Ganondorf said. "Do the Spiritual Stones really lend power to the Master Sword? The last I knew, they were merely tribal emblems that opened the way to the Sacred Realm."

"I guess that's how they started out," Zelda said, "but it seems that over time, as they became relics, their connection with the Master Sword heightened and they siphoned some of its power. They may also have been failsafe mechanisms, a power dampener of sorts, in case the sword was to fall into the wrong hands." She looked aside. "Which it clearly has."

Ganondorf studied the map for a while longer and then smiled up at Zelda. "This is not normally how things go, you know. You've got the quest all backwards and inside-out."

She nodded. "I know. But like I said before, we're going to do things differently this time around. Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. I think that's true even in the case of reincarnations."

"I hope so," Ganondorf said.

Zelda paused. "Besides—I'd be awfully lonely waiting for you to come back."

Ganondorf put a hand on her shoulder. "I would miss you, too."


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, leaving the kingdom's affairs in the capable hands of their cabinet, they set out for the west. They elected to travel by Ganon-beast, as few other things could match the land speed of a boar demi-god.

Zelda clung to Ganon's mane as he raced over the fields of Hyrule, feeling the wind ruin her hair and watching the ground blur below them, and thought that this was the most fun she'd had in years. Ironically, having an evil overlord invade her kingdom was just about the best thing that had ever happened to her. Except he wasn't really evil—morally ambiguous, perhaps. To say he was evil would be a gross generalization.

The journey across Hyrule took several days. They stayed the nights in villages when they could, and camped when they needed to. Around them, Zelda saw evidence that her former subjects were adjusting quite well to the presence of Ganondorf's creatures, and it bolstered her confidence. Maybe her ancestors had done this all wrong, she thought. But another side of her was scared to get too cocky. Bucking the system could not be this easy, could it?

The grasslands and forests gave way to drier scrublands, and finally there arrived a morning when Zelda and Ganon found themselves staring out at a vast expanse of sand and barren rock.

The princess reached into her pack and unrolled the map. "I'll tell you how to get to the Colossus. Just follow my directions. We should arrive by afternoon if we're quick."

Ganon tossed his head to show that he understood. An unfortunate side effect of this form was his inability to speak, but it was a fair tradeoff for increased speed and power.

Zelda pulled the hood of her traveling cloak over her head to shade her face from the sun, and grabbed a fistful of his mane. "Let's go."

As Ganon leaped down the craggy cliff that led to the sprawling desert basin, Zelda hoped Link had not gotten there first. She was unashamedly not rooting for the hero in this case.

Despite Ganon's breakneck pace, the journey through the desert was tiring, mostly because of the heat and the sun. Zelda did not know there could be such a thing as too much sun, but now she found herself longing for central Hyrule and its rain-fueled greenery. Now she was starting to see why Ganondorf had envied it so.

The sunlight was just starting to tint the gold of late afternoon when the two neared a monolithic mountain of rock jutting out of the sands. It was the largest sculpture Zelda had ever seen, a seated meditating woman with a cobra for a hood, carved out of the towering sandstone that surrounded her.

"The Goddess of the Sand," Ganondorf said once he had resumed humanoid form. Shading his eyes with his hand, he stared up at the stone woman who had watched the desert around her for countless ages. "The patron goddess of my incarnation's people, the Gerudo."

"I think I've read about them," Zelda said, "although the texts don't have much to say. Mostly that they practiced unearthly magic."

"Spirit magic," Ganondorf corrected. "The powers that deal with life and death, the calling of forces from beyond this plane. Similar in purpose to shadow magic, but quite different in means. Do not judge my mothers so quickly. Your filtered histories rarely show all facets." He began to ascend the weathered steps of the ancient temple.

Zelda followed him. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean it like that. I was just… repeating what the books said. I should just get my history from you from now on, since you were there for all of it."

Ganondorf turned and smiled at her. "My apologies. There are subjects I am… touchy about. But you are young – well, on a certain level – and I should not expect you to read my mind to know these things. Unless—have you begun practicing your telepathy, by any chance?"

Zelda shook her head. "I didn't know I was telepathic."

"Well, several of your past incarnations were, so I thought maybe…" Ganondorf chuckled. "I imagine this conversation sounds very strange to you."

"A little," Zelda said with a grin. "I'm sorry. I won't make any more assumptions about history. I'd love to hear more if you feel like telling me."

Ganondorf extended a hand to help her up the steps. "You remind me a good deal of the Gerudo, actually. They were strong, intelligent, willful warriors. They were also bandits—that part doesn't remind me of you quite so much."

"I should hope not."

Outside of the door, Ganondorf stopped and put his hand on the doorframe, etched with winged Triforce designs and strange hieroglyphics. With a bittersweet smile, he rested his forehead on the hot stone. "It is good to be home again," he murmured. "This is the temple where I was trained in magic in my youth. I roamed its halls as a boy. Its ancient energy was my toy and its sentinels my playmates." Straightening up, he turned to Zelda with a smirk. "I had an unusual childhood."

"I wasn't really expecting you to have a normal one," she said.

Together they slipped into the cool shadow of the interior, waiting a minute for their eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. Ganondorf said, "I could help you resume your magical training, if you like. It would probably come in handy—"

As the room faded into view, Zelda could see why he stopped. The entire entrance was filled with sand, mounds of it that reached the ceiling and spilled nearly to where they stood. "I should have guessed this would happen," Zelda said. "It's been too long and the wind has carried in too much sand, I'll bet." She sighed. "Well, according to my research, later generations excavated a second entrance through the rock, halfway up the back of the Colossus—"

"One moment," Ganondorf said. He held out his hands, which pulsed with magic. The sand blackened and shriveled, and crumbled away into itself like imploding ash.

"Oh," Zelda said.

Ganondorf squeezed her shoulder. "Sorry. I don't feel like doing any rock climbing today."

"Me either," she admitted. "Although I am beginning to wonder just how useful my research is to you."

"Oh, incredibly useful," Ganondorf said as he led her to the doors on the far end of the antechamber. "I imagine you might know in which room the Spiritual Stones were stored?"

Zelda nodded, happy to at least be of some help. "The texts said something about a Serpent Room. Which I hope does not denote a chamber filled with snakes."

Ganondorf snickered. "Certainly not. The snakes would starve after a while, and then we'd have to crunch through snake bones to get to the stones. That's rather ghastly, even for me. Sounds more like a Sheikah implementation."

"Impa always did have a morbid sense of humor…" Zelda muttered.

"But to answer your question, the Serpent Room is the large shrine in the center of this temple where the Gerudo would worship the Goddess of the Sand." The sorcerer smiled and patted her cheek. "So, you see, your knowledge has prevented us from having to comb through this entire temple! Which would be a nice walk down memory lane, but not under these time constraints."

Zelda placed her hands on a doorway and pushed, hoping to activate some mechanism to open it. "I would enjoy that, too, once we get this mess sorted out. You wouldn't happen to know how to get to the Serpent Room, would you? I couldn't find any maps of the interior of this place."

"Yes—it's past that door, actually, good job." Ganondorf helped her push until they heard a soft click, and as they let go, the massive stone slab slid open. "I'm surprised the doors still work after all these years. Probably magic. Very reliable engineering tool, that. Except when it backfires horribly."

"You have a surprisingly good memory for someone so ancient," Zelda said as they entered the hallway beyond. "I mean—I can understand remembering each of your past defeats, but the fact that you remember the layout of a place you haven't been in millennia?"

Ganondorf traced the wall carvings with a finger. "I do take care to remember the important things. And this place was very important to me. On the other hand, if you asked me what I'd had for breakfast the day I got a sword plunged into me eight hundred years ago—now that, I cannot recall."

"I guess that's reasonable," Zelda said.

Ganondorf looked over at her. "But that particular grisly demise happened on a Thursday. I've hated Thursdays ever since."

Zelda grinned.

As they traversed the innards of the temple, Ganondorf holding aloft one hand roiling with purple magic for illumination, Zelda's eyes wandered over the walls. "Do you know this language?" she asked.

"Yes. It is an ancient variant of the Gerudo language. Well, more ancient than my mortal incarnation's time, but it's still readable to me. This place was not built by the Gerudo, but by their ancestors, a tribe that it is said possessed an even greater amount of magical ability. They say in those days, the Goddess of the Sand walked among them, bringing rain and assisting in their hunts." Ganondorf swept his hand-torch along the walls, showing a painted fresco of a half-serpent woman.

Zelda studied it. "She was a real goddess?"

"As real as you and me. You might be surprised how many deities inhabit this world—" The harsh snapping of rock pierced through the passage, and with a shout, Ganondorf fell through the floor.

Zelda yelled and reached for him a moment too late. The stonework beneath his feet had given out, leaving a dark gap where the sorcerer once stood.

A few more chunks of stone cracked away from the masonry and clattered into the abyss, and for one awful pause, Zelda feared the worst.

"I'm fine!" His voice echoed up from the hole, and her tension eased. "I may have overestimated the state of preservation of these millennia-old ruins. Somehow."

The princess dropped to her hands and knees at the edge of the gap. "How far did you fall? Are you hurt?"

"Not far." A purple fist glowed in the darkness, revealing Ganondorf standing in another stone hallway, looking up at her. "No injuries. But…" He glanced around. "This passage looks older than anything on the surface levels. I don't remember it at all…"

"I want to see!" Despite the situation, Zelda was enthused by the prospect of a valuable archaeological discovery.

Ganondorf sighed. "Are you sure you don't want to retrieve the Spiritual Stones first?"

"Just a quick look. We haven't seen any sign of Link since we set off." Zelda was already swinging one leg over the edge. "Would you be able to get us back up?"

Ganondorf flung his magic over his shoulder, where it coalesced into a glowing orb that hovered just behind him. With both hands now free, he reached up to help the princess into the lower level. "Probably. I have to admit, I'm curious too."

As her feet touched the ground, Zelda rushed to one of the walls. "This writing is much different than what's above us."

"Yes, I can't read this," Ganondorf murmured, squinting at it. "Whoever built this hallway was even older than the ancestors of the Gerudo."

Zelda wandered further down the hall, to the limits of the magic's illumination. There, the writing ceased and was replaced by images carved into the stone. "What's this…"

"What?" Ganondorf walked over to join her. A sudden jolt of recognition crossed his face. "We should get going. Now." He moved to pull her away.

"Why—" Zelda's eyes fell on two stylized figures: a winged woman and a man with skin patterned like scales. "Wait a moment… that's us." The representations of Hylia and Demise seemed to be overseeing a map of some sort. And they were holding hands.

The princess turned to Ganondorf and motioned to the carvings. "What is this? This doesn't look like a war."

He searched her face for a long moment. "I didn't want you to find out…"

"Find out what?" Zelda folded her arms. "You can't be secretive just because you're afraid of my reactions. That's not exactly a trusting friendship." When he didn't respond, she put a hand on his arm. "You can tell me the truth. Please?"

Again he was silent as his eyes moved from her hand to the wall in back of her, and then met her gaze. "I haven't told you the whole story. What happened before the beginning."

"I would like to know what happened," she said.

Taking her by the shoulders, he turned her around and pointed to the carving. "At the start of ages, before Hyrule was formed… we oversaw its chaos as husband and wife. I, Demise, was god of those that dwelt below the brooding void. And you, Hylia, were goddess of the bright heavens above." He closed his eyes. "We loved each other and worked in harmony, and when the Golden Goddesses created Hyrule, they entrusted the Triforce to us both."

When Zelda did not respond, Ganondorf continued. "At first we paid little notice to the beings that inhabited the surface world, but you began to take an interest in them, and soon many of the tribes started to worship you. You became known as a goddess of Hyrule itself, not just the heavens above it. Your focus shifted ever more to them as you aided and defended them, helping them build up their civilizations.

"I enjoyed seeing your work… but I admit I began to grow jealous. I felt as though you were ignoring me in favor of your little mortal wards. I was reluctant to confront you about it, because you so obviously loved your tribes, I did not think you would want to leave them." Letting go of Zelda's shoulders, Ganondorf stepped away and wiped a hand over his face. "So I made a grave mistake. In my anger and frustration, I decided to attack your worshipers with my own demon hordes, hoping that would make you pay attention to me.

"It did, but in the wrong way. You grew enraged at my acts of violence, commanded your worshipers to fight back, and sealed me away." Ganondorf's shoulders slumped. "So, you see, I am a horrible excuse for a husband. I am sorry, Hylia. I have felt your anger every day since then through the eons. I felt it every time you and your hero stopped me from carrying out my ambitions."

He turned away. "I had really hoped that this time would be different. For the first time in so long, you opened up to me, you showed me friendship and compassion. But I didn't think you could possibly forgive me for my selfish acts, for all the grief I caused you and the ways I betrayed you in the past, if you knew. Now you will surely side with Link and strike me down once more. And when I see you again in another generation…" He shut his eyes tight. "You will not remember the brief days of happiness we shared."

Zelda felt like the world was spinning. At the same time, everything made much more sense now. And she might have been mistaken in her history, but she could not mistake her own decisions and feelings. "I forgive you," she said. Putting her arms around him from behind, she rested her head on his back. "I don't think I was ever really angry at you. I couldn't let you go around doing stupid things, but I wasn't angry at you. And I'm not now."

The dark king turned to look at her. "I'm sorry… this whole mess is my fault."

"We can still make things right again, I'm sure of it." Zelda took his hand and turned it over to see his Triforce of Power glowing. "The Triforce consists of three qualities in balance with one another. For ages, this balance has been achieved by courage and wisdom keeping power in check." She looked up at him and smiled. "I think it might be more effective if they were all working in harmony."

Ganondorf smiled back. Reaching up, he cradled Zelda's chin between his finger and thumb. "Despite all the ages that have passed, and all that has driven us apart… I still love you."

"I'm fairly certain I love you, too," Zelda said.

For a moment they held each other in the gaping silence of the ancient tunnel. "I missed you," Ganondorf whispered.

"I'm not leaving you," Zelda assured him.

He gave her one last squeeze and then pulled away. "Thank you. We should be going—I'd hate for Link to find those Spiritual Stones and kill me at a time like this. Terribly embarrassing."

Zelda chuckled as he led her back down the hall. "That's not allowed to happen. Oh, and next time? Just _talk_ to me before unleashing demon hordes."

"Lesson learned, I assure you."

The ascent back to the ground level was brief, thanks to a small thing called teleportation. "I have to admit," said Zelda as they rematerialized in a cloud of darkness, "I think there's something to this magic business after all. It's a shame I've forgotten everything I learned in past lives."

"It will come back to you as you work at it," Ganondorf said as they edged down the hallway, a little more carefully this time. "Don't judge yourself by my standards. I've had millennia to get good at this."

At the end of the passage was another door, and it slid open to reveal a vast space beyond. In the enormous inner sanctum was another representation of the Goddess of the Sand, sitting cross-legged with a benevolent and knowing smile on her face.

And at the base of the statue, next to a small altar, stood Link. His hands hovered over three jewels that hung suspended above the altar by some magical force. The sound of the door caused him to look up, and when he saw Zelda and Ganondorf, the hero of Hyrule smiled, a grim and twisted smile.

"How did you get here?!" Zelda gasped. "We should have seen you come in!"

"I took the back door," Link said. "It was a bit of a climb, but nothing a strapping hero like me couldn't handle." He reached for the jewels.

Zelda's stomach dropped. "Link—don't—"

Link grabbed the Spiritual Stones and clutched them to his chest. The hero was enveloped in a cloud of light that spewed multicolor beams. Red, green, and blue light filled the room, dancing off the ancient walls and playing across the face of the Goddess.

Ganondorf flung out his hand and shot a blast of dark magic that careened into the maelstrom. The spell deflected into the ceiling, and bits of crumbled rock rained down.

The light wisped away, revealing Link holding a Master Sword whose blade now glowed with energy. The Spiritual Stones were nowhere to be seen. "You cannot defeat me," he growled. "This sword shall once more be your bane!"

"Link, stop!" Zelda stepped forward. "Hyrule doesn't need saving! I've got everything under control!"

"You are weak, Zelda!" Link shouted. "Content to quail in fear and let our sworn enemy take the throne from you! I see now that only I possess the courage to fight against evil!"

"You're not looking at it the right way at all!" Zelda said. "I did what I had to in order to keep our people safe—and Ganondorf isn't evil!"

Link staggered back. "Traitor!"

"In fact, we shouldn't be fighting at all!" Zelda said. "We don't have to! The three aspects of the Triforce can work together for good! Like they did in the beginning!"

"Link, listen to her reason!" Ganondorf said. "I do not wish to fight you, here or ever. If you would leave me in peace to govern my kingdom—"

" _Your_ kingdom?!" Link snarled. "It was supposed to be _my_ kingdom!" With a yell, he charged the sorcerer. "I deserve it more than you do!"

Ganondorf drew his sword. "Zelda, get out of here! He's gone mad!" As the princess scrambled to the corner of the large room, the blades of the hero and the villain met with a searing clang.

The force of the impact jolted Ganondorf back—the Master Sword had evidently absorbed more power from the Spiritual Stones than he was anticipating. He threw out a blast of magic as a distraction and whipped his own sword around for another strike.

With a swipe of the holy blade, Link dispelled the dark magic and leaped away from Ganondorf's swing. The two men darted around the room, parrying and blocking and lobbing everything they had at each other.

Now they were more evenly matched than in the library. Ganondorf had raw power on his side, as well as a finesse that could only be attained from long ages of wielding a blade. But Link was faster and driven by a dangerous rage, and something about the Master Sword at its full power seemed to enhance his own combat skills.

Zelda stood plastered to a wall, feeling helpless and frustrated. Impa had taught her some basic combat magic, but Link was a berserk force that the princess was afraid to get in the way of. And she didn't want to hurt him. Even though he had started annoying and then turned ruthless, something about joining a fight against him felt wrong.

In a flash of light, Ganondorf stumbled back. Clutching his side, he let out a few ragged breaths and collapsed.


	5. Chapter 5

Zelda's blood froze. "No!" Pushing off the wall, she ran for Ganondorf.

Link stood above him, sword raised for the finishing blow. "This time," he hissed, "I'll make sure you never come back."

"I always do," Ganondorf wheezed. He looked up at Link with a smirk that grew into a fierce grin. "I always do." Gathering all of his strength, he slashed his own sword at the hero, following up with a magic blast that flung Link across the room. The young knight bounced like a rag doll and rolled to a stop, unmoving.

"Ganondorf!" Zelda dropped to the sorcerer's side and cradled his head. "You'll be all right—" The wound looked severe, and here they were stuck in the middle of the desert. "I'll take care of you, don't worry." She slid her traveling pack off her shoulders to rummage for first aid supplies.

"So that's how it is," Link said from across the room. He had picked himself up and was leaning against the wall, looking at the two through narrowed eyes full of venom. "After all I've done for you, Princess… the battles I've fought and the monsters I've slain… you betray me for this demon for your own convenience."

"Link, come here!" Zelda said. "I can treat your wounds too!"

The man shook his head with an unsettling smile. "Or so you say… I know where your allegiance lies now. How like a coward—" He gripped his shoulder, the smile erased by a pained grimace as he clenched his teeth and shut his eyes tight.

When he opened them, it was to regard the other two with a scowl. "I don't need your help," he spat. "You disgust me."

Zelda paused in the middle of unrolling a bandage. "Link… please don't…"

He stood up straighter, although the pain caused him to cringe. "Hyrule will know the almighty courage of its true hero. And Ganondorf will die by my hand, as is my privilege. Until then—farewell." Reaching into his pocket, Link disappeared in a swirl of magic.

"It seems we've switched places," Ganondorf said in the quiet that remained. He coughed weakly. "I imagine… any of the Triforce's three aspects could be turned to evil, if taken too far…" He stiffened as Zelda began disinfecting his wound. "Well… this turn of the cycle did end a little differently, at least…"

"You're talking as if it's already over," Zelda said as she poured more healing potion onto a wad of gauze, "and I don't appreciate it. You're going to be okay."

Ganondorf smiled. "Death… doesn't really faze me much anymore… I'm rather used to it."

"You can't die," Zelda insisted. "You said it yourself earlier, remember?" Her eyes welled with tears. "I won't let you leave me!"

His eyes widened and he put a shaking hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry… but we will meet again…"

"No." Zelda grabbed his hand fiercely and shook her head. "I'm not letting you give up like that!" She frowned and took a deep breath. "You said you wanted to teach me more magic, right?" When he nodded, she said, "So teach me. Right now. I'm going to heal you, so teach me how."

"Don't you think that's a bit rash—" Ganondorf was cut off by Zelda summoning healing magic to her hands and spreading it over his side. He winced. "Ouch—! All right, all right, not so forcefully or you'll do more harm than good. Don't push it, just seek it out and let it do its work."

Zelda eased up. "Sorry… I told you I was bad at this…"

"You just need more tutoring." He smiled. "Don't worry, I'll help you. Close your eyes, and try to summon as much power as you can from your core."

The process felt like it took forever, and Zelda was exhausted by the time she was done, but finally the sorcerer's breathing became less labored. "The wound's still there," she panted, brushing stray strands of hair away from her sweaty forehead.

"I know," Ganondorf said. "You've healed the internal damage, though. The rest is just mending of flesh. Don't push yourself too hard, you've already done a lot. Just bandage it and I'll be fine." He squeezed her hand. "Thank you. You saved my life."

Zelda squeezed back. "Of course. I'd never let you go without a fight. But…" She looked up and around at the cavernous room. "It's going to take a while for that gash to heal, and I doubt you could walk in your state…"

"We'll teleport back to Hyrule Castle."

"Not after what you've been through!" Zelda said as she wrapped Ganondorf's wound. "You'll kill yourself trying to teleport that far!"

He looked into her eyes. "Not if you lend me your strength. You have a vast untapped power within you, and although you do not yet know how to fully utilize it, I can borrow it to cast advanced magic without draining myself too badly. Will you help me with this?"

"Of course," Zelda said.

Ganondorf nodded. "Then hold on tightly." Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her and touched his forehead to hers.

Zelda felt as though she had been plunged into a waterfall of magic. The roaring in her ears was overwhelming, and when she dared to open her eyes she could see nothing but a maelstrom of purple. She kept hold of Ganondorf's cloak, afraid if she let go she would be swept into the torrent of energy.

And then, with an unceremonious "thump", it stopped. As quick as a change of thought they were in the castle library, on one of the couches. A noblewoman standing by one of the shelves dropped her pile of books and let out a shriek of surprise.

Ganondorf grinned. "We're back."

"Thought we'd pop in unannounced," Zelda added.

The woman gave them a thoroughly miffed look and swept out of the library.

"I guess we were overdue," Ganondorf said. "I hope there's not a fine for that."

Zelda helped him to his feet. "What are we going to do about Link? I'm worried—what if he comes back?"

"He'll need time to recover, too," Ganondorf pointed out as they made their way into the hall. "And when he does—I'll be better prepared."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Zelda said. "I won't have a repeat of today."

Ganondorf patted her head. "You won't. I'm not going to let that maniac near you or the throne."

Things were blissfully quiet for the next month. Ganondorf recovered well from his wound and continued to govern Hyrule with Zelda's assistance. The kingdom was prosperous and stable, and the Hyruleans seemed more and more accepting of the dark king's subjects. They found it difficult to argue against Peahats that helped sow crops, or Beamos who happily served as traffic aides.

On Zelda's part, Ganondorf continued to help her learn magic, and she slowly became more confident and competent in it. More than that, though, she valued their time together as they explored the castle grounds, played board games – Ganondorf always beat her at chess and she always beat him at checkers – and Ganondorf told her fascinating stories of pasts she had forgotten. Finally, she wasn't lonely, and she enjoyed every moment of it.

If only it could have lasted forever.

One cold, cloudy day, when Zelda was looking forward to work being over so she could curl up with Ganondorf next to a roaring fire, the sorcerer opened a letter and frowned.

"Hm," he said.

"What?" Zelda asked from her chair next to him at the desk they shared.

Ganondorf held the paper so they could both see it. "It seems a vigilante knight has been causing trouble on the borders of the kingdom. He's been spreading propaganda against my creatures and using baseless lies and paranoia to incite Hyruleans to rise up against them. They call him a hero of the people."

Zelda scanned the letter and bit her lip. "A hero… three guesses who it is."

Ganondorf took a swig of hot milk from the mug beside his mail pile. "I don't want to challenge him directly. That would look bad on my part. He'd go down a martyr and just make things worse."

"But we can't ignore him," Zelda said. "Or else things might get worse anyway. Maybe we should… lure him out somehow."

"Any suggestions?" Ganondorf said before taking another drink.

Zelda blushed, suddenly wondering if her idea was too stupid to be voiced. "… We could get married."

Ganondorf's cheeks bulged as he fought to keep from spitting out his milk. After forcing it down and coughing a few times, he pounded on his chest and scrunched up his nose, trying not to look too embarrassed. After clearing his throat, he asked, "Are you proposing to me?"

The princess grinned sheepishly. "Well, not exactly—it was just a suggestion. For you to propose if you want."

"And that was the only thing you could think of?"

Zelda folded her arms. "It's a perfectly sound strategy! He wouldn't be able to resist! What man could call himself a proper hero if he fails to respond to the villain making a grand announcement that he's going to marry the princess?"

Ganondorf leaned on the desk and looked over at her, his expression somewhere between incredulous, amused, and flattered. "You do realize that they do that in order to claim the throne, right? You already gave it to me."

"Yes, but he's also jealous of us," Zelda pointed out. "I think a wedding would rub salt in the wound." Standing up, she began to pace around the desk. "And—he's developed a hero complex. I don't think he'd be able to withstand the allure of defeating you with the maximum amount of people watching, in the most dramatic and climactic situation possible, with everything perfectly poised for him to marry me and ascend the throne directly afterward." She made a disgusted face.

Ganondorf toyed with his mug, swirling the milk around absently. "So… would we actually go through with the wedding, then?" He paused, looking up at her for her answer.

Zelda's shoulders sagged. "Would you not want to?"

"What? No! I mean—no, I don't not want to—" Color came to Ganondorf's dark complexion and he scratched the back of his head. "I'm just—" He looked at the princess and was silent for a moment. "I'm scared I'll fail you."

She shook her head. "I'm not."

"But after what happened before—"

Zelda held out a hand to stop him. "We both learned from that. And from everything we've been through since. I'm willing to give it another try." She turned her hand to offer it to him. "Are you?"

Ganondorf looked at her hand and smirked. "Are you proposing to me?" he asked again.

"I'm suggesting."

He took her hand. "Then I'm proposing. Zelda, will you marry me?"

She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt. "Of course."


	6. Chapter 6

The wedding took the next month to prepare. Under different circumstances, Zelda would have much rather it been a quieter and more private ceremony, but of course the other point of it was to convince Link that crashing the wedding would increase his hero credibility to epic proportions.

So for one long month, the engaged couple were busily engaged arranging the most elaborate and spectacular wedding either of them could stomach. At every spare moment, though, the two also worked on their magic. Zelda was slowly becoming more proficient, and helped Ganondorf spot vulnerabilities in his energy that the Master Sword might target. The plan was for Ganondorf to weaken Link enough that Zelda could cast a binding spell on him, rendering him harmless until he could come to his senses.

All the while, Zelda had a growing feeling of dread that they were marching toward the endgame. But this plan had to work, she thought. Things had to be different this time around. Because in her next life, she would forget everything she had built up here. She had to break the curse and stop the cycle before that happened.

Finally the day of reckoning came, and Zelda had butterflies in her stomach for more than one reason. The wedding would be the easier part. Harder was trusting that she and Ganondorf could defend themselves against anything Link might try. Thankfully, the knight was not known for his subtlety, so they could probably count on seeing him coming.

The entire castle courtyard was abuzz with activity. Musicians played boisterously, tables were set with several feasts' worth of food, and lavish gifts had been sent from all corners of Hyrule and many of the kingdoms beyond. Crowds of Hyruleans and creatures alike had come to pay their respects to their king and his new queen. Others had come to show their disapproval of the marriage, but they were less in number than Zelda had anticipated, which was a welcome relief.

"I hope we never have to do something like this again," Zelda muttered under her breath as she scanned the courtyard from a sitting room on the upper levels of the castle.

"Never again," Ganondorf agreed from a nearby couch. "You look lovely, by the way."

Zelda blushed and smoothed out the skirt of her wedding gown. "Thank you. This was as simple as I could get them to make it. I insisted on _not_ looking like an explosion of satin and lace." She looked over at her fiancé. "How did you convince them to let you wear your armor and sword?"

He shrugged. "Told them it was ceremonial. Which is true, actually. My mortal incarnation does come from a warrior culture, and this was standard dress at their weddings. For the women, too," he added with a wistful smile.

Zelda glanced over at a clock on the wall. "Well… I think it's about the time we should be making our way to the shrine. Shall we go?"

Ganondorf nodded and pushed himself to his feet. Instead of heading to the door, though, he walked over to the princess and took her hands in his. "Zelda… you don't have to do this. I can face him on my own. I don't want you to get hurt."

She shook her head. "I want to help you with this. You've helped my magic improve by leaps and bounds and I think I can help." Turning his left hand over, she placed her own next to it and watched the two Triforces glow in proximity to each other. "Courage, Wisdom, and Power are supposed to keep each other in balance. And lend each other strength. I want to be there for you for this."

The sorcerer-king leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I'll protect you. I promise."

"I'll protect you, too."

Ganondorf offered her his arm and she took it. "Well," he said as he escorted her out. "We have a date with destiny—let's not keep it waiting too long."

A blaring trumpet announced their appearance at the doors of the castle, and cheers rose up around them as the bride and groom walked in stately fashion across the courtyard. Ganondorf kept one hand on the hilt of his sword, ostensibly to look distinguished, but both he and Zelda had an eye out for any trouble.

Trouble arrived halfway down the path to the shrine. The crowd parted with gasps and cries of alarm as a chestnut mare thundered across the courtyard. From its back leaped a caped figure who drew a shining sword, barring Zelda's and Ganondorf's path.

"Fear not, citizens!" Link shouted. "I shall slay this foul tyrant and take my rightful place at Princess Zelda's side!"

In response, he got a few cheers, but mostly murmurs of confusion and uncertainty. Many of Ganondorf's creatures outright booed and hissed.

The groom sighed. "Link, let's settle this away from these civilians—"

"No! We fight here and now, you fiend!" Link advanced on him, a dangerous glint in his eye. "So there can be no doubt who is the greatest hero in all of Hyrule!"

Zelda didn't even bother trying to reason with him. "You can do it," she whispered to Ganondorf as she gave his arm a squeeze and backed away. "Everyone, get back!" she cried. Raising her hands, she wove a shielding spell that formed a crystalline dome around the two eternal enemies.

The sorcerer's eyes glowed like flames as he drew his own sword. "If that is what you wish… then I will be happy to oblige!"

The two men rushed at each other, and as their blades clashed, flashes of magic slammed into the shield. The crowd oohed and aahed as if they were watching a fireworks display, and Zelda clenched her jaw, concentrating to uphold the spell.

As she watched the fight, Zelda realized something was wrong. Link was overpowering Ganondorf. Apparently the knight had spent time accruing more power as well, and it wasn't enough for the ancient wizard. Steadily, Ganondorf was being driven to the edge of the shield.

"I told you I would win!" Link said as he aimed merciless strikes at the king, who was barely able to block them. The hero wore a crazed grin as he wore down his opponent's defenses, each block coming slower and with more effort. "This kingdom is mine! Zelda is mine!"

Ganondorf bared his teeth and let out an inhuman roar of fury. With a sudden rush of strength he pushed Link away from him and shrouded himself in a cloud of dark magic. Link charged him—and was knocked away by an enormous paw.

The Ganon-beast broke away from the magic and raced toward Link. A few screams came from the crowd, who began backing farther away.

Zelda took little notice of them, her attention fixed on the fight. This wasn't part of the plan. Ganondorf had to be desperate to change form like that. She weighed her options, but could think of little to help. The binding spell would only work if Link was weakened, and he was not showing any signs of fatigue. Now he was dancing around Ganon's massive form, slashing at the beast's legs as Ganon snapped and pawed at him.

One of Link's strikes got through. Ganon crumpled, tried to push himself to his feet, and fell again. Link advanced on the fallen monster, sword pulled back. "I… am the hero…" he breathed.

Ganon's eyes met Zelda's, and the fear and despair in his gaze struck a chord of terror in her. She had to act fast, or else the next time they met, she would remember none of this and the cycle would continue on forever.

"I'm not losing you again!" she screamed. Shattering her own barrier, she ran over to the man and beast.

It all happened too fast for her to fully understand. She saw the sword fall and knew she couldn't let it strike Ganon down. She threw herself in front of it, and in the next moment her world exploded with pain.

Link staggered back, his face pale, his rage doused. He dropped the Master Sword, letting it clatter harshly on the paving stones. "No… what have I done…"

Zelda fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around herself, watching as the white of her wedding dress was marred an ugly red. Tears came to her eyes as even kneeling became too painful to bear, and she toppled forward.

Everything else was a blur, dulled by the unfathomable pain. Vaguely she was aware of two arms wrapping around her, holding her close to someone who smelled like the desert wind. She took a few shuddering breaths and it felt like knives slicing through her lungs. Faintly, voices echoed around her, and the faces above her swam against the too-bright sky above.

"You blasted fool!" Ganondorf roared, glowering up at Link. "Your hubris has taken you too far!"

"I—I'm sorry," Link stammered, looking like he was going to be sick. "I didn't—"

Ganondorf held out a hand that began to pulse with magic. "I'll kill you a thousand times over for this!"

"Stop," Zelda gasped, unable to get enough air to speak louder. "Ganondorf, stop, please…"

"I failed you—" His voice broke. "You wanted to break the curse and I failed you."

Zelda shook her head weakly. "Love."

"What?" Link took a step toward them, but Ganondorf's hand flared with magic, and the sorcerer shot the knight a warning glare that Link heeded.

"The curse was pronounced in hate… it needs to be broken with love." The world teetered around her. Breathing was becoming harder. "I love you…"

"I love you too!" Ganondorf cried desperately. His eyes grew glossy as he watched her life slip away.

"Break the curse," she murmured, and closed her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm sorry," Link said again, standing there like a lost child.

Ganondorf glowered up at him, and realization dawned on the man's craggy features. He took a deep breath, knowing what he had to do but not liking it. But it was the only thing that could bring back Zelda. And he had to change if he wanted to break the cycle.

Finally he said, "I forgive you. Don't ever pull that stunt again, but I forgive you. Now—give me the Master Sword!"

Link's eyes widened. "What?"

"Get over here and bring the Master Sword!" Ganondorf barked. "I need its energy and your help if I'm going to save her!" Carefully, he placed Zelda on the ground, kneeling over her.

"R-right!" Link picked up the sword and scrambled over to the royal couple. He glanced over the holy blade, as if debating within himself whether he really wanted to give it to his greatest foe, then sighed and handed it to Ganondorf.

"Thank you," the sorcerer grunted. He placed his left hand on the hilt. "Put your left hand here." He gestured to the other handhold on the hilt, which Link clung to, and their Triforces glowed. "Now, give me the Master Sword's power."

Link looked up at him. "But that'll drain it! It'll just be an ordinary sword!"

"Do you want to see her live or not? Will its power to me!"

The hero nodded. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head and concentrated. The Triforce symbol on his hand flared, as did Ganondorf's, and the Master Sword's blade shimmered with radiance. Ganondorf placed his other hand on Zelda's wound, and light began to pool beneath it.

As he siphoned more and more power from the sword, its light ebbed and finally died altogether. Beads of sweat rolled down Ganondorf's face as he exerted all of the sacred blade's energy into giving Zelda back her life force. His mouth was set in a grim line as he worked, his amber eyes scanning her for any signs of animation. Link watched silently, shock still smacked across his face.

Finally the last bits of light burbled away from the sorcerer's hand and into the princess. Ganondorf let go of the Master Sword, leaving Link to cling to it, and brushed the hair away from his fiancée's face. "It's got to work," he muttered. "Come on…"

Zelda's body jerked and she drew a sharp gasp. Her eyes sprang open and her chest started heaving. "What—"

"Oh, thank the Golden Goddesses!" Ganondorf picked her up and kissed her.

"What happened," she breathed, looking around at the crowds of dumbstruck people and a very bewildered-looking Link.

Ganondorf cradled her in his arms. "I—we brought you back." He nodded to Link before turning his attention back to the princess. "I'm so glad you're all right—I couldn't bear the thought of losing you again—"

"You worked together with him?" Zelda smiled. "You forgave him, didn't you?"

"Yes, he did," Link said with a nod, stepping forward. He looked rather embarrassed, but cleared his throat and sheathed the Master Sword at his side. "Your Highness—and—Your Majesty, I guess—I'm sorry. I've been atrocious." Shaking his head, he said, "I was so wrapped up in what I wanted to be, in claiming my piece of the legend… I was a fool. I won't trouble you two again." He turned to leave.

"Link," Zelda called. When he looked over his shoulder at her, she said, "Thank you… for your service through the years. You have done much to try to prove yourself a hero—and not just in this life. You are a part of the legend. Never forget that."

Ganondorf smirked. "Yes, she's right, as much as I hate to admit it."

"Where are you going to go?" Zelda asked the knight.

Link shook his head. "I don't know… I'd like to explore the lands beyond Hyrule, I think. Maybe one of them will need a hero." He moved to leave again, but paused. "By the way… congratulations on your marriage. I'm glad you two are so happy together." He smiled. "Really, I am. Congratulations, Zelda."

Something shifted—something indescribable, but tangible, like a thread in the universe untangling and smoothing out. Zelda flinched in surprise, as did Ganondorf and Link. Simultaneously, the three looked at the Triforces on their hands to find them glowing brightly.

"What was that…" Ganondorf murmured.

Link held his head. "I don't know… but it feels almost like some sort of dark cloud has lifted and let the light come through."

Zelda stared at her Triforce of Wisdom. "The curse is broken." She beamed up at the two men. "We're free!"

Ganondorf laughed. "I think you're right! Everything's been set right again!"

"The three Triforces are in harmony again…" Link looked at the back of his hand and the corner of his mouth turned up. "So this is the end, then. The end of a legend."

"I think it's the start of a better one," Zelda said.

"I hope so." Link adjusted the sword at his waist. "Well—I'm off. But if you two ever need me… I'm sure Hyrule could always use its hero."

"We'll be sure to give you a call," Ganondorf said.

The two watched him mount his horse and depart, and then Zelda leaned her head on Ganondorf's shoulder. "What do you think will happen now?" she asked him.

"If I were to hazard a guess… I think we might become Demise and Hylia again after these lives are over," he said. "No more reincarnation... and no more repeated deaths and sealings for me. That's going to be nice."

"I'm so glad," Zelda said, putting her arms around his neck. "Well—let's go enjoy the rest of our lives together. I think we've earned it."

"We most definitely have," Ganondorf said as he moved to carry her to the shrine. After a few steps, he stopped. "Do you need to change? I'm not sure a bloodstained wedding dress is appropriate attire."

"I am not going through getting another dress made," Zelda said.

"That's fair." Ganondorf kept walking.

* * *

 _Legends never die._

 _They only improve over time._

 _Sometimes it takes several tries to get the legend right._

 _But when you finally do, everything falls into place._


End file.
